


Can the Cycle Be Changed

by HickoryDaisy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: A bizzare narrator thing-a-ma-jig, Characters Read, Dumbledore Bashing, F/M, M/M, Marauders' Era, Read the books, Reading the Books, Self-Indulgent
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-26
Updated: 2016-08-21
Packaged: 2018-05-29 07:33:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6365050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HickoryDaisy/pseuds/HickoryDaisy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which the Marauders and Lily read the books with a really weird spell construct they can't even see or hear half the time being a nutcase.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In Which Moony finds Books and Letters

Remus "Moony" Lupin was, without a doubt, the most unique student at Hogworts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the year 1975. For starters, the kind and studious boy was a werewolf. For another, Remus, at least this world's Remus, was very, very gay. (In the creatorsverse, the world were all primary creators reside, a bunch of people began to squeal while a few were highly disappointed, and there were even a few that yelled a bit about how it 'wasn't canon' but no-one cares about them.) And lastly and most importantly of all, Remus Lupin was a Marauder. 

So why, you might ask, was Moony wondering around the school on the first day back for no apparent reason? Well, he did have a reason. A flimsy one, but a reason. He was going to the library. On the first day. (Are there even fiction books in the Hogworts library?) Anyway, as everyone's favorite werewolf was on his way to the place of books known as the library, he saw Dumbledore exit an empty classroom. Dumbles also looked around suspiciously. When he saw Remus, he just shrugged, thinking that because he had let the young Wolf into his school, he wouldn't poke around out of gratitude.

He was very wrong, for Remus was also a Marauder.

Moony entered the classroom to find it covered in dust, except for seven books, a table, a chair, a note, and many rolls of parchment of notes. Thinking the whole thing odd, he walked closer to look at the books. However, as soon as he saw the first book's title, he felt like he had been smacked with a stick. Repeatedly. By Sirius Black, because even though it hurt, he knew he would let it go.

The title of the first book read **_Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone._**

While Remus was understandably shocked, as he had no clue who Harry Potter was or why he had anything to do with the Philosopher's stone, he also realized there were six more books, and he had to see the titles of those as well, did they also involve this Harry Potter.

The answer is yes, but you already knew that, didn't you? If you didn't, you must have been living under a rock since 1997. Just sayin'.

The second was entitled **_Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets._** 'The Chamber of Secrets?' Remus thought, 'But... Isn't that just a legend?'

The third was no better, as it was called **_Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban_**. 'Azkaban?!' Remus could hardly believe his eyes. 'What? How?'

Of course, the fourth could be considered either worse or better, depending on how one looked at it, as it was entitled **_Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_**. Remus only knew of one Goblet of Fire, and that one was the one that picked the competitors for the (Hunger Games! Kidding, kidding. Although...) Triwizard Tournament, an event that hadn't happened in over one hundred years!

The fifth, on the other hand, didn't sound so bad, **_Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_**. They sounded decent enough, at least they weren't from Azkaban!

The sixth, **_Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince_** , didn't sound all that interesting, while the seventh, **_Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows_** , sounded like maybe something dangerous. 

In all honesty, Remus wasn't sure whether to read these books here and now, or to run away and hide. In hopes of obtaining an answer, he looked to the note.

_To Whomever finds these books,_  
These are a telling of what happened during our school years. Please, we beg you to try and change what you can by using these books to give you foreknowledge of the events. Too many good people died.  
-Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger 

Remus was now blinking rapidly to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. Then he pinched himself to see if he was dreaming. Upon realizing he was doing neither, Remus was struck with a dilemma. Did he take the books and risk Dumbledore knowing it was him, or try to read as much as he could when Dumbledore wasn't here?

Luckily for Moony, his dilemma was resolved with a second note appeared. This one was sloppily written and rushed. Remus quickly open it to read.

_To Not-Dumbledore,_  
This letter has been charmed so that Dumbledore cannot receive it. We have discovered that our Dumbledore received books like these from another place oh so similar to ours, but instead of changing things, he enforced them! We fear yours may do the same. Please... Take the books, take those you trust, and go to the Room of Requirement. It's across from the tapestry of a man teaching trolls ballet. Walk in front of that section of wall, thinking of the purpose you need it for, and hide in there. Read these books. Change your world. Ours is in shambles.  
-Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. 

Remus felt his eyes widen. He knew he had to do as the note said, somewhere in him. As a result, he quickly grabbed the books and the notes and ran for the Gryffindor tower as fast as he could, which was quite fast.

Less than five minutes later, he was huffing out the password to the Fat Lady. She let him in with an odd look. Not even ten seconds later, he was unfortunate enough to engage in a head-on collision with Lily Evans. It was painful for the both of them.

“Remus Lupin! Watch where you are going!” The redhead yelled at her fellow prefect.

“Sorry, Lily!” He yelped as he stood up. “Um, wait here for about a minute, please? I'll explain as soon as I can.”

“What? Remus!” Lily practically shouted, but Moony was already half-way up the stairs to the boys dormitories. 

Remus burst into the dorm room, seven books in hand, slamming the door back loudly in a way the other Marauders simply could not ignore. “You three… Come… Now… Please…” he huffed out, tired from just running up the stairs in a sprint, something which sane people should never do. Then again, there is no such thing as a sane person, is there? I mean, I’ve never met a sane person, any of you?

“Moony?” Sirius Black looked at his friend (crush) with a small amount of concern. “What’s wrong?”

Remus, who had managed to recover enough breath to speak semi-normally, said, “I will explain… when we get there…”

Sirius got up to follow Moony without another thought to the matter, and, after about a little less than three seconds, James and Peter trailed after them too.

When Lily saw her fellow prefect rushing back down the stairs, friends trailing behind, she groaned. “Oh no, _Potter_ is involved in this?”

Remus paused for just a moment, just long enough to say, “Lily, I… trust him… If you… trust me… follow us… but don’t… tell anyone…” before continuing to race forward, but this time he had four people trailing after him.

When they came to a sudden stop in front of the tapestry of a wizard teaching trolls ballet, Remus began pacing before it, confusing the others in the group, when suddenly a door appeared.

“In!” Moony yelled at them, something which he normally didn’t do.

“Moony…” James seemed apprehensive. “Where are we?”

“In!” Remus repeated, this time shoving in his friends. Once they were inside, he also disappeared into the room. And after he vanished, not ten seconds later, so did the door.

“Alright Moony, where are we?” Padfoot asked, everyone else nodding to his question.

By way of response, Remus handed them the notes from Harry, Hermione, and Ron, and said, “Read these.”

After the others had read them, they practically exploded. There was only chaos and noise.

“WHAT!”

“How DARE he!”

“But he’s the headmaster!”

“DUMBLEDORE?!”

“QUIET!” Moony yelled over the din. “I grabbed the books… I thought maybe we could change it even if Dumbledore is trying so hard to keep it the same.”

“That’s a great plan Moony!” Sirius told the (quite nice looking) werewolf. “You read first.” James and Lily nodded in agreement. Peter just looked shocked and slightly befuddled.

“Alright,” Remus said as he sat down and cracked open the first book.

**_Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone_ **

“What?” James was shocked. “Harry Potter? Is he related to me?”

“I’m a bit more worried about the whole Philosopher’s Stone part, Potter! This Harry person could be in great danger! Or be dangerous!” Lily yelled at him.

“Lily,” Remus reminded her, “Harry Potter was one of the names on the notes. He is not dangerous if he's asking us to change a horrid timeline.”

“Oh,” Lily said. “Right.”

“Are we all ready to begin the book?” Remus asked, in a way that implied that the answer better be yes, or else.

**Chapter One: The Boy Who Lived.**


	2. BOOK TO THE HEAD and an Idiot Rat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus reads the first chapter. He also throws the book at Sirius' head.

“Uh, Moony?” Said Peter Pettigrew, looking quite more mouse-like than is usual rat-likeness as he asked the werewolf for a moment of attention. Not that anyone _cares_ , mind you. I mean, do you care about Peter Pettigrew? No? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

“Yes, Wormtail?” Remus replied, “What is it?”

“Don’t most boys live? What makes this one get a title?”

“Peter, I’m going to throw this book at someone’s head, just to make it hurt as much as mine does from all the shouting, if they ask me a stupid question. So don’t ask me a stupid question, ok?” Remus was giving Peter a big smile the whole time, and, to be honest, it was really quite creepy.

**Mr and Mrs Dursley…**

“Who are these people?” Sirius piped up, less than a sentence after the book had started. “Do we care about these people? I thought this book was about Harry Potter!”

Sirius regretted speaking almost instantly, because the book collided with the side of his head.

“I told you not to ask stupid questions,” Remus grinned as he picked the book back up.

**...no finer boy anywhere.**

“I bet he’s a spoiled brat,” Sirius said as he rubbed his head injury. “And please don’t throw the book at me again, Moony, it wasn’t a question!”

“No stupid comments, either!” Remus snapped. Only intelligent questions and comments are allowed, otherwise these books will never be finished, not in a million years! Understand?”

Sirius looked incredibly put out, and only got more so when Lily pointed out that Remus was right, and the books were clearly very important, so they should finish them as quickly as possible.

**...about the Potters.**

“Oi! Is there something wrong with the Potters?” James snapped, clearly quite irritated by this slight against his family name.

“Yes,” Lily replied before any books could be thrown. “Yes, there most certainly is.”

**...child like that.**

“Okay, I have several problems with this paragraph alone!” Lily said. “One, what poor girl married Potter? I figure based on the publishing date that this ‘Harry Potter’ is this Potter’s poor child, and I wholeheartedly agree with Mrs. Dursley’s sentiment that Potter is ‘good-for-nothing,’ but the ‘child like that’ bit is worrisome, as this family is unlikely to be in this book if they are not going to meet this Harry. And the issue with that is that now I feel sorry for a Potter!”

“Lily?” Said Remus, “Shut up, these are not really issues. Also, James is not ‘good-for-nothing,’ he’s a good friend!”

“I agree with Moony,” Sirius contributed his two knuts, “Prongs is a very good friend.”

“Prongs,” Lily snorted. “What a dumb nickname.”

**...into his highchair.**

“What? Why is she wrestling him? Shouldn’t she scold him? Screaming is not a good thing!” Lily huffed. “I hate this book. I feel bad for a _Potter._ Dumb book.”

Remus rolled his eyes at Lily’s Potter-hating antics while James whined.

**-a cat reading a map.**

“Wait, what? A cat reading a map? You’re kidding, right? Cats can’t do that.” Lily burst out.

“Unless they’re an animagus,” said Sirius Black, who was almost there on his own transformation, not that he was going to tell Lily that. “Minnie’s a cat animagus, I bet it’s her.”

“Professor McGonagall?” Lily practically exploded this time. I mean that, I really do, her face looked like it was exploding! “What in the name of Merlin would she be doing there?”

When Sirius didn’t have an answer, they moved on. Although, he did give Lily a rather impressive glare, but that’s beside the point.

**People in cloaks.**

“I don’t get it. Why is that a funny fashion?” James asked, as for all his lack of prejudice against muggleborns, he was still a pureblood, and clueless. Peter didn’t get it either.

Remus, who had a muggle mother, Lily, who was Muggleborn, and Sirius, who took Muggle Studies, all gave the other two this look of pure bafflement, like, _how do you not know this?_ However, only one of them spoke up.

“Muggles don’t wear cloaks anymore, Potter,” Lily said with a huff in her voice and her arms crossed. “They haven’t worn something like that outside of costumes and cosplays for over a century now.”

“Oh,” James replied, shrinking back a bit from the angry red-headed witch, no matter how he would try to deny it later. Don’t let him deny it, ok? Ok.

**...owl even at night-time.**

“Do muggles not use owls to deliver their mail? How do they get it if they don’t use owls?” Peter asked as James nodded along in the background, clearly afraid of invoking the wrath of a red-head.

“They pay other muggles to do it, of course!” Lily scoffed. “How else would they do it?”

“Right,” said Peter, clearly not actually getting what Lily was saying. “Of course…”

**...their son, Harry-”**

“Why are people standing in muggle streets in broad daylight discussing probably-my-son-Harry?” James asked, a bit befuddled by this.

“The poor mini-Potter is going to have just as big a head as his father if people are already discussing everything he does. I feel bad for his classmates,” Lily huffed. She had been doing a lot of huffing lately.

Remus rolled his eyes, clearly getting a bit annoyed by all of Lily’s Potter-hate, and he wasn’t the only one, as Sirius appeared to be attempting to drill holes in the back of Lily’s head with his eyeballs.

James was just annoyed no-one had answered his question, and it didn’t appear anyone was going to.

**...nephew was called Harry.**

“I… What? He’s not even… I hate Potter, but… His nephew… His _nephew…_ I can’t excuse him not knowing his own nephew’s name! You can’t just _forget_ something like that, it’s not possible! What in Merlin’s name, what on Earth or in the sky above!” Lily ranted, started in a quiet cross between a mumble and a murmur, and gradually increasing until it was an ear-splitting roar.

All four boys were covering their ears because Lily was so loud, but Remus had pillows clasped over his, while the other three were just using their hands.

**...You-Know-Who has gone at last!**

“Say what? Moony, did I hear that right? Voldemort is gone?” Sirius asked Remus, sounding quite thrilled at the idea of that, mostly because it means that his ‘family’, you know, his bio-family, the one with genetics and what-not shared with him, was made of criminals and would therefore be put in Az. 

“Yes, Padfoot,” Remus replied to the almost-animagus, “You did hear right. It says that right here.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” James interrupted them. “Everyone’s talking about Harry! What does Harry have to do with Voldemort being vanquished?”

“Hopefully, nothing,” Lily ended the discussion.

**...a new word (Shan’t!).**

“If I ever meet this Dursley,” Lily said, her face blank and voice cold, “Either of them, they shall wish I had not. Honestly, that’s not something to be proud of!”

Poor Lily. It’s only going to get worse. And poor Marauders! It’s going to be loud in there!

**-Petunia, dear-**

“WHAT?!” Lily screamed at the top of her lungs. “No… no way… It can’t be, I can’t believe it!”

“Er, Lily,” James asked the mad red-head against his better judgement. “What is it you can’t believe?”

This was apparently the wrong move to make, as Lily grabbed him by his collar and began screaming right into his face, “YOU TOERAG! WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!”

“Lily… I don’t know what you’re talking about… also my ears are ringing now… you are very pretty when you scream,” James replied to her, to which she threw him to the floor and stalked back over to her seat.

“Keep reading, Remus,” she said, without any explanation for why she went nuts on James. Remus couldn’t hear her, however, because he had put on earmuffs when Lily had started yelling.

Lily got up, went over to Remus, pulled the earmuffs off his head, and said, “Keep _reading_ , Remus.”

**... _her lot._**

“HER LOT!” Lily screeched again, and Remus put his earmuffs back on. Lily was bound to be yelling for a while. The other boys took their cue from Remus and also asked the room to provide earmuffs, which they then put on.

No-one understood exactly what Lily said, but it went something like, “Dursley is dead, Petunia is dead to me, I hope they both die in a fire, her lot indeed.”

Or something like that.

When she finished, the boys took off the earmuffs, and Remus began reading again.

**How very wrong he was.**

“I don’t like the sound of that,” Lily said, very, very worried about the (recently discovered) fact that only she had put together. Harry Potter was her son, and even if was also Potter’s, she wasn’t about to abandon her possible future child. Her child. It felt weird to even think that.

‘Something’s different here,’ James thought. He didn’t say it aloud, of course, or it wouldn’t be thinking, it would be saying. ‘What did she put together? What does she know?’

**...Albus Dumbledore.**

“What in Merlin’s name is he doing there?” Sirius asked. “I mean, aside from the fact that he clearly knows what in the seven hells is happening in the house, since our timeline isn’t the first to receive books, and they seem to despise witches and wizards, so again, what is that- that old goat-fucker doing there?”

“Goat-fucker?” Remus stared at Sirius. “Not the first insult that comes to my mind, but it actually kinda fits…”

“Thanks, Moony,” Sirius grinned at Remus, “But that doesn’t answer my question.”

“Well, I don’t know the answer,” Remus smiled back and Sirius, “But I bet it’s in the book, so let me read, ok?” He felt like laughing, but didn’t. Why? Who knows! I’m a teen girl, not a boy, I don’t know how they work! I’ll need to do some more research in my downtime, but these guys are keeping me busy!

**...Professor McGonagall.”**

“What is this, ‘Hogworts Professors Meet On A Muggle Street Day?” Peter asked.

“No, Peter,” said Remus, “I think that they have something going on that, for some reason, involves this family in Number 4.”

“No…” Lily groaned. “Please tell me I’m not dead in that book! Remus!”

“I don’t know, Lily,” Remus replied. “You haven’t been mentioned yet.”

**...for eleven years.**

“Eleven years…? That’s 1981, that’s not far from now!” Lily yelped, worried about her future self’s health, as she was grasping at straws as to reasons McGonagall and Dumbledore were at her sister’s house, and there was no good option. She was beginning to seriously think she was dead, which was not good.

“Well, that’s good, right? The war will be over, and we can live peacefully,” James sounded very naive.

“Potter, if what I suspect is true is actually the truth, that is the furthest thing from good I can even think of. Living peacefully is a bit of a pipe dream,” Lily replied drily, shocking everyone.

This was not good. Sehr nicht gut. What? Didn’t anyone else take German in school? No, wait, let me guess, you all took Spanish and French, because their poppin popular, and all your friends were taking them. German, however, is easy, fun, and… I’m rambling. Um… back to the story! Look! Remus is reading again!

**...finally stopped him?”**

“Please, tell us! Let us know, hurry!” Sirius looked excited. Lily on the other hand, who had spoken the same words at almost the same time, looked almost sick, like she was about to throw up.

Remus gave them both looks. Sirius, because Sirius is cute and must therefore be looked at as much as is possible without calling attention to it, and Lily, because she looked ill, and Remus had been too busy with earmuffs and noise and headaches to put all the pieces together yet. When neither of them says anything else, Remus turns back to the book.

**...find the Potters.**

“What?” James looked confused, and Peter nodded, as he was also confused. Why would Voldemort go to the Potters?

Neither of them heard Lily barely breathe a single word under her breath. “No…” She did not like were this was going. At all. So maybe Potter would mature, and she could handle eventually marrying a matured Potter. Her being dead in the future? No. Nonono, heck no!

**...Lily and James Potter…**

“Lily! I knew we were meant for each-other! Now that you know it too, will-” James cut off as soon as he saw the look on Lily’s face, like she was expecting something worse. “Lily? I-I’m not that bad, am I?” He sounded worried.

“Finish the sentence Remus,” Lily said. “I think I know what it says,” she was beginning to tear up, “And I want to get it over with.”

Remus looked down at the rest of the sentence, and his breath hitched. He couldn’t say it.

“Lily? Remus? What does it say? Why is it making Lily cry?” James was very concerned now. “Remus? Remus, please read it, Remus…”

**-that they’re- _dead.”_**

“I knew it,” Lily had tears running down her cheeks now. “How long-” she hiccuped. “How long has the only reason we died been _because it worked out in the long run before!_ ” Lily began to sob. “I can get over marrying Potter. Maybe he finally matured. But… but… this? How long has Dumbledore been orchestrating our deaths? How many times could we have lived if he hadn’t tried to continue this… this stupid cycle!”

James, shaking himself out of his own shock at discovering that, if these books had not been found by Moony, than he would die less than a decade from now, and, although if you ask him he will probably deny it, tears in his own eyes, he scooted over to Lily and wrapped an arm around her.

Sirius wanted to go kill Dumbledore right then and there, but refrained, mostly because that meant that the rest of the book would not be heard by him, and he might jeopardise the book itself that way.

Peter, somewhat ironically, felt very sorry for whatever poor sod Dumbledore had used to help Lily and James’ deaths along.

Remus, on the other hand, couldn’t move for shock. He just sat there, staring at the book without reading it, as the sound of Lily’s sobs swept through the room.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Lily calmed down enough to speak rationally again, and Remus slipped out of his shock. He then picked the book back up and said, “We need to keep reading. The more we know, the more we can prevent, and the safer we will be.”

**-he couldn’t.**

“Wha- huh?” James blinked. “I… don’t get it. How…?”

“James Potter,” Lily said, sounding tired and a little out of it, to be completely honest, “Just let Remus read the book, will you? I’m certain it will be explained eventually. There are seven books, afterall.”

“Er- alright.”

**...his aunt and uncle.**

“Dumbledore, you bastard!” Lily yelled. “Petunia won’t treat him right!”

The boys looked shocked by Lily’s outburst, but didn’t comment, as they figured that, as Lily knew her sister best, she would know. Although that didn’t mean they liked the conclusion she had come to, especially not James.

**...you’re right…**

“I hate that he has such a good reputation,” Lily said. “Anything he says will be treated as fact, with or without evidence to back it up.”

“To think,” Remus said, “I used to be so grateful to him.”

Lily was a little confused by Remus’ statement, but didn’t push it. If it was important, weather he wanted her to know or not, it would most likely be in the books.

**...Sirius Black lent it me.”**

“I have a motorbike?” Sirius looked rather thrilled at the idea.

“‘Lent it me’?” Remus was confused by the phrasing in the book. “Does it mean ‘lent it to me’? This book needs an editor.”

“Moony, you’re ruining the moment!” Sirius complained. “I’m going to have a motorbike!”

“That’s what I live for, Padfoot,” Remus joked with a grin and a roll of his eyes. “To ruin all of your moments.”

What the hell? There’s a ‘to’ in the American version but not the British one? What? Oh, whatever. Remus already complained about it, you don’t need me to double up on it. Carry on, loves!

**...bolt of lightning.**

“No… But… How…” Lily looked surprised. “That shouldn’t be possible.”

“Lily? Even I don’t know what isn’t possible that you’re blabbering about. Explain please?” Remus asked.

“Right. Sorry,” Lily shook her head. “I forget that the professors don’t sign your slips for books in the restricted section because you hang around with those three.”

“Hey!” James protested, but Lily ignored him and continued.

“It’s not common knowledge, I only saw it mentioned in one book, but that shape… it’s the wand movement.”

“The wand movement of what? Why isn’t that possible, Evans?” Sirius asked the red-headed witch.

“Because, Black,” Lily replied, “That is the wand movement of the Advada Kadavera curse. The Killing Curse. Harry should be dead.”

On that cheery note, Remus began reading again.

**\- the boy who lived!”**

“And that,” Remus said, “Is the end of the chapter. Finally.”

“I don’t like it!” Lily was angry. “Dumbledore is a bastard, and I’m going to MURDER him when we finish reading!”

“Agreed,” Sirius said. “Why didn’t I take Harry from Hagrid? I mean, there’s a nine-out-of-ten chance I’m his godfather, so why wouldn’t I take him if the two of you died? It doesn’t make sense!”

“And Dumbledore killed us!” James yelled. “Me and Lily are dead! Dead!”

“Peter and I weren’t even in the chapter!” Remus said. “I just- I don’t get it! What is even happening?”

“I’d rather I not be in these books,” Peter stated. “Less chance of Dumbledore having messed with me.”

Oh, Peter, Peter, Peter. Poor, silly, stupid, Peter. Haha, I can’t wait until book three! This is only going to get better...

“One more chapter before we sleep for the night?” Remus asked. “We need to get this over with, and maybe this one will be better than the last one…”

“Alright,” Lily said, and the other all moved back to their seats in silent agreement. “Here’s hoping.”

**Chapter Two-The Vanishing Glass**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was really fun to write. Tedious, but fun. I'll probably be posting the next chapter of DoP next, but don't worry, I'll still be working on this one! Lily really stole the show here. She was just like, "Nope, I'm talking here!" Also, yes, that little difference in the American and British versions is real. Both books are sitting next to me. I only have the British versions of the first two books, but I don't think it will be a big deal, because fewer changes are made in the later ones. However, having the British version of the first one is a VERY big deal, because of the changed title and whatnot. Anyway, I've gone on long enough! Bye!


	3. Glass, Crass, and Double the Rat Mass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Vanishing Glass, Sirius is Crass, and Piers makes an appearance.

“Vanishing… Glass?” Lily blinked. “I’m going to go out on a limb here and say we time-skipped, because there is no way that a baby, even one who defeated Voldemort, is going to be able to vanish glass. The question is, how much time was skipped?”

“Lily?” Remus asked.

“Yes, Remus?”

“Let me read.”

“Fine…”

**Nearly ten years…**

“There you go, Lily, it’s been ten years,” Remus told the red-headed girl.

“Thanks, Remus…” Lily looked put out that her question was answered so soon after she had asked it.

**...in the house too.**

“Did someone come get him?” James asked.

“I hope so…” Lily replied distractedly.

“I bet I came to get him!” Sirius interjected with a smile.

“We can only hope…” James told the other black-haired boy in the room.

**...Harry Potter was still there…**

“What? I didn’t get him? Why? I don’t understand…” Sirius looked a bit lost.

Poor Padfoot. The third book is going to be so hard on him… Although it will explain the question he just asked. I just hope that the others won’t judge him before the end of the book… What to do… Oh! I know! This will take a bit of finagling, but I can manage it!

**...after the bacon.**

“What? She’s making him cook?! Petunia!” Lily yelled. “I am never going to die, not ever, if my child is sent to cook at the age of ten!”

“Er- Lily?” Remus spoke up. “Some people like cooking.”

“I hope that’s what’s going on here, or I may very well kill my sister,” Lily was completely serious, no pun intended.

**...where he slept.**

“I’m sorry Remus, but _WHAT?_ That book did not just say that Petunia was keeping my son in a cupboard!” Lily burst, and none of the boys could blame her, as they were all just as mad, or at least they thought they were just as mad. Peter was no-where near as mad, just sayin.

“I- I can’t change the words on the page! I- I can’t believe this… How could anyone treat their own nephew that way?” Remus asked, but didn’t get an answer, mostly because everyone else was yelling at the top of their lungs, like this:

“I’ll murder that -”

“No longer my sister! -”

“Just can’t believe -”

“No one does that -”

“- anyone could be -”

“- useless flesh bag -”

“- to my son!”

“- Will formally disown -”

“- until she is -”

“- that heartless!”

“- her at next chance!”

“- unrecognizable!”

I’ll let you figure out which of these snippets belong to which of our four screaming lovelies! Hint: They do actually fit together into four sentences.

**...was very fast.**

Lily was yelling again, but this time, James was yelling right with her, screeching out against her horrid sister, crying out for their not-yet child, screaming across time at Dudley Dursley, wishing   
death upon any with that surname.

The other three didn’t blame them, but still put earmuffs on because, quite frankly, they wanted to make it through all seven books with the ability to hear.

**...your parents died.”**

“She… lied to him… about our death?” Lily practically choked out. “I knew she hated me, and that she and her husband certainly don’t like Harry as well as they should, but… I can’t believe she’d sink so low! I know she hates me because I have magic and she doesn’t, but we are - were sisters!” Lily slumped down in her chair.

Poor Lily. I wouldn’t know what to do if my sister did something like that… although, I suppose I would be dead, so the point is mute…

**...pig in a wig.**

“Ugh,” Sirius groaned, sounding a bit disgusted. “That does not sound like an attractive child, especially with that much weight…” Sirius was rather disgusted, so he began thinking of more attractive people, like Remus.

Of course, his mind went straight into the gutter. I don’t think I need to tell you what he was thinking of. Honestly, if I do, then you are either really small, or a hopeless, clueless person who will need help in life. And you will never have kids.

Now, Sirius’ mind-gutter-ness caused him to momentarily give Remus a look, one that Remus noticed, and really hoped he hadn’t imagined.

**...than last year.”**

“Oh, Merlin, he really got that many gifts?” James was shocked. “I know that my parents spoil me a bit, but the most birthday gifts I’ve ever got is ten, and that’s with you lot pitching in!” James gestured wildly at the other three Marauders. 

“Agreed,” Lily nodded sagely. “That is a simply absurd number of gifts. What would they even all get him?”

“Who knows?” Remus said. “But I am not reading tomorrow, at least not right away. My throat is beginning to hurt.”

**_Two_ more presents.**

“Isn’t she supposed to be the parent?” Lily asked incredulously. “This is ridiculous. I can not wait until Harry is far, far away from them, both for his safety, and so I won’t have to hear about them anymore.”

“I agree with Lily/Evans,” The boys all chorused. James and Remus said Lily, Peter and Sirius said Evans.

**”Thirty-nine, sweetums,”**

“Oh, Merlin, she even counts for the kid!” Sirius yelled.

“Sirius!” Remus snapped. “My throat really is hurting at this point, just let me finish the chapter!”

“Let me finish it for you, Moony,” Sirius offered.

“No!” Remus snapped. “I started it, I’ll finish it.”

Remus then kept reading, because Sirius could never do something his darling Moonykins didn’t want him to. Even if Remus didn’t yet know he was Sirius’ “darling Moonykins”, though I don’t think he would complain.

**..can’t take him.”**

“Who on Earth is Mrs. Figg?” Lily asked. No-one had an answer, they didn’t know any Mrs. Figgs either. 

**...she’d ever owned.**

“I have decided I hate Mrs. Figg,” Lily declared. “She should have noticed something was wrong if she was that close.”

James nodded along in agreement, and Sirius made an affirmative noise. Peter just looked confused.

**...house in ruins?”**

“He wouldn’t blow up the house!” Lily screeched. “Although his father probably would, if he remains as childish as he currently is. Said father needs to get his act together.”

“What?” James squeaked. “What could said father do?”

“Said father could start by not antagonizing the mother’s childhood friend,” Lily smirked as she saw James pout.

**...in it alone…”**

“Oh Merlin, why?” Lily cried out. “He’s not a dog, you can’t just leave in the car, it doesn’t work that way, and why, oh why, is he more concerned about his car than Harry?” She looked about ready to cry again.

James moved an inch closer to Lily. He didn’t want to get too close, less she just hex him.

**...his mother’s arms.**

“That horrid child!” Lily yelled and stood up. “I don’t want to hear anymore… I’m getting so stressed out over this… Remus, if I go to bed now, can you give me a footnotes version in the morning?”

“Lily, this isn’t something that can be done that way,” Remus objected. “It may not seem like I’m talking much about it, that I don’t care as much, but I think that it would be more… convenient to discuss it over meals, or just during any sort of break. Oh, I’ll still put in my two kunts during the reading itself, but… not much.”

“I… alright,” Lily conceded as she sat back down. “Let’s get this over with.”

**...cry at once.**

“Real friends don’t care if you’re crying! In fact, they will comfort you and ask what’s wrong! I don’t think this boy is really a friend, a better description would be, ‘repeat acquaintance,’ don’t you agree?” Sirius burst out. With his… family issues… he had cried in front of his fellow Marauders before, and they had always tried to help him out, never make fun of him.

The others also agreed with his assessment of the relationship between Dudley Dursley and Piers Polkiss. Wormtail also put in that he would be a far better rat than Piers, which made the boys laugh and confused Lily.

**...now until Christmas.”**

“He didn’t!” Lily and James burst out at the same time. “I’ll kill him!”

James then realized he had blurted out that he wanted to kill Lily’s relatives, and began to apologize profusely, stating that only she really had the right to want to kill her family. Needless to say, Lily was confused out of her mind.

**...him in mid-jump.**

“He flew!” Lily squealed. “I flew when I was little, that was my accidental magic!”

The boys all turned to look at her, first befuddled, then looked at each other and got grins that would have worried Lily if she was paying attention.

**“MOTORBIKES DON’T FLY!”**

“Moony, you have to scream it!” Sirius told the werewolf.

“Padfoot, my throat is getting tired. I will not scream it,” Remus replied.

Padfoot began mumbling under his breath, too quiet for even me to hear, and crossed his arms like a petulant child. Which, let’s be honest, he kinda was. Poor Padfoot, the petulant child.

“All this over the mention of a dream?” James questioned the book, even though it was unable to actually communicate. 

“Potter, don’t talk to the book, it make you look insane,” Lily practically scoffed, although quite honestly, she would also like that question answered.

**...lemon ice lolly.**

“If the first part of that sentence wasn’t there, I’d say that was nice of them,” Lily grosed.

Remus nodded, and Sirius shifted in his seat, eyes beginning to get slightly droopy.

**...finish the first.**

“He should have had his own to begin with,” Lily growled. “Not the left-overs from this pig!”

“Lily, I know you care deeply about how Harry is treated, but I think that the only thing we’ve talked about this chapter is the Dursley’s substandard caretaking. Can you please, please try to not scream every time the Dursley’s do something?” said the last of the boys Lily would have thought would say something like that.

“Er… Alright, Pettigrew,” she replied hesitantly, like she couldn’t figure out if he had actually just said that.

**...of the house.**

“Sympathizing with a zoo animal!” Lily cried out. “Why… Why…” Tears began dripping down her cheeks as she wept for her future child who had grown up so badly.

Sirius bowed his head, upset as well by Harry’s treatment, but, as he had been in a similar situation once, felt more sympathy than Lily’s weeping pity.

Remus and Peter were more in shock than anything else. They knew that Harry’s treatment was awful, but this… this was beyond anything they had ever considered possible, even in a cliche children’s storybook, where the parents or guardians of the main character never took care of them properly.

James slid closer to Lily again. He wanted, more than anything else in the world right now, to be able to put his arm over her shoulder and pull her close, and swear to her that they wouldn’t die this time, they would prevent it, but he couldn’t. Not yet.

**...be really annoying.”**

“Is he… talking to the snake?” James asked, “Is Harry a parselmouth?”

“I guess,” Lily replied. “I don’t know how, but that seems to be the case.”

The other boys looked shocked, but, after a moment, accepted it.

The room shifted.

**...been to Brazil?”**

“Of all the things you ask a snake… you ask if it’s been to Brazil?” James let out a snort of amusement, clearly attempting to lighten the mood of the room, but no-one else seemed amused.

I could do that more successfully, and a lot easier. But I won’t, because I’m lazy and don’t feel like it. 

**...howls of horror.**

“What happened?” Peter asked, clearly a bit worried.

“You don’t think it was the chapter title, do you Moony?” Sirius asked Remus, curious for the werewolf’s opinion. 

Remus, for his part, just shrugged as Lily was incredibly confused by the nicknames the boys had been throwing around. Moony? Prongs?

**...Thanksss, amigo.”**

“Well,” Sirius answered his own earlier question. “It was the chapter title.”

Everyone cracked up, even Remus, whose throat was quite sore by this time. This was perfect, even though the circumstances leading up to it were far less than less than ideal. This had been just what they needed.

**...a large brandy.**

“You know what?” Lily asked the boys. “When we leave this room, the first thing I’m doing is finding and murdering Vernon Dursley, I swear it! Drinking while my child is locked in a cupboard with no food, how dare he!”

James nodded vigorously in agreement.

**...for some food.**

“Good job, Harry!” James exclaimed, grinning widely. “That’s how you do it!”

Lily had to suppress a giggle at James’ over the top reaction to simple sneaking. She rationalized it to herself by telling herself it was better than crying again.

**...with Dudley’s gang.**

“Do you think I’m dead too?” Sirius asked suddenly. “It would explain why I haven’t gotten Harry.”

“I don’t know, but that was the end of the chapter,” Remus said, grabbing a bookmark the room had made and sticking it in between the pages of the book. “We should go to bed, we can read more in the morning.”

The others all nodded, stood up, and headed toward one of the three bedrooms the Room had made for them: one for Lily, one for James and Peter, and one for Sirius and Remus.

It wasn’t long before they were all asleep and I was the only one awake, and I flitted back across time and space to make a report.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this took forever! Like, eeeee.... Again, sorry! Also, can you guess what our lovely narrator is doing?


	4. A Silent Lily

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lily hurts her throat.

“I’m back!” I yelled as I slipped into my world of origin. “I’ve got all the latest news and whatnot!”

“Bitsy! Thank goodness. Any good news?” Hermione ran up to me, looking slightly worried. Sad thing was, I couldn’t blame her.

“Actually, yes!” I shifted into a more… humanoid form, as opposed to my ball-of-light form I had been in. “Remus Lupin has found the books and is reading them with Sirius Black, James Potter, Lily Evans, and Peter Pettigrew.”

“We’re making progress? Oh, Bitsy!” Hermione launched herself at me and appeared to be attempting to strangle me. She probably would have if it wasn’t for the fact that I am a spell construct and not an actual living being. I get more powerful the better I do on my job, and if I fail… I’ve seen one of them. They have practically no power and are just little balls of light, beeping out morse code.

We don’t know what will happen if I achieve full success, as it has yet to be done.

“Hermione!” I sounded indignant, I know I did, but I did not whine, no matter what Hermione says. “I have to go back to them, you know! I just came to deliver a progress report and get them some breakfast!”

“Oh, right, right,” Hermione let go of me and backed up a little. “Go get that food and get back to them. We’ll be the first proper success, I just know it!”

I went off and got some food, just some basic eggs and bacon, before flitting back through the in-between to my wonderful charges.

When I arrived, they were all up, or in Sirius’ case, just about. I arrived basically just in time, as they were about to call a house-elf.

“DON’T!” I yelled at the top of my lungs as I tackled James, who had been about to call.

“What the hell?!” all five of them chorused. I feel so special. Not.

“Don’t call a house-elf, they’ll alert Dumbledore!” I scramble to my feet, trying not to trample James in the process. “I’m ever so sorry I scared you, but you have to listen to me!”

“And you are…?” Remus asked me. He sounded much better than he did last night.

“I’m Bitsy!” I declared loudly. “I’m a spell construct sent back with those books! I also brought breakfast…” I trailed off into thought. I do that.

“If you’re a spell construct, then why do you look like a slightly chubby blue-haired woman in a dress that looks like all the Disney princesses put theirs in a blender and this is what came out?” Lily was giving me face! It was awful.

“Hey…” I protested. “I like my dress…”

“That didn’t answer the question,” Lily shot back, still giving me that awful face.

“The spell used to send the books back was to change things,” I explained. “That’s it’s job, and mine by extension. The more that changes, the more powerful I get. I currently have enough power to shift into my primary humanoid form! Isn’t it thrilling!”

“Umm…” Peter looked utterly lost.

“Not to worry,” I assured them. “Most of the time, I won’t be present…” in the physical sense, I added mentally, but I didn’t want to eliminate chances to see romances blossom. They would avoid it if they knew I was there.

“Y’ say… Breakfas’?” Sirius slurred out of his half-asleep haze.

“Yep!” I chirped as I pulled out the food and placed it on a nearby table. “Here we go! I’ll see you around! Bye!” And with that, I quickly reverted back to my ball-of-light form before rendering myself invisible.

My five charges looked around, but I guess they considered me honest enough, as they sat down and began eating the food I had brought. They ate quickly, I could tell they were eager to get back to the book.

Sure enough, as soon as all the eggs and bacon were gone, Sirius snached up the book and plopped down to read it. The others followed at a more sedate pace, glancing around every few seconds, no doubt looking for me.

Sirius looked annoyed by the time they had all sat down. “Come on, slowpokes, don’t you want to know what happened to Harry?”

“Of course we do, Sirius! How did you move so fast just now anyway?” Remus said in aggravation as plopped down into his seat.

“I don’t know, and I don’t care,” Sirius said. “Maybe I just really wanted to see what happens to Harry.”

Without any further talking on anyone’s part (for the moment, and not for long) Sirius opened the book and began to read.

**The Letters From No One**

“How can a letter be from no-one?” James asked. “Someone has to write it, even if they don’t tell you who they are.”

“Prongs, while that is a good point, can I just read? I really want to find out what happens to Harry!” Sirius whined. Yes, it was definitely whining, don’t let him say otherwise!

**...on her crutches.**

Lily’s eye was twitching. “When… is… Dudley’s… birthday?” she said slowly, like something would explode if she didn’t, probably her temper. Probably. It could also be the room, I suppose.

**Harry Hunting.**

And with that, Lily’s temper did explode! As did the lamp on the end-table next to her. And every other lamp in the room at this moment. The Marauders all ducked, but Remus still got a small piece of glass wedged in his hand.

“Ow,” he stated, more like he was commenting on the weather than expressing pain, if I may be honest with you.

Lily’s outburst ended much quicker than it had begun. “Remus! Oh my God, I’m so sorry!”

“It’s fine, Lily,” Remus said as he pulled the glass out of his hand and placed it on the end-table. “I’ve had worse.”

“You’ve always had worse, Moony,” Sirius sighed as he moved over to Remus’ side. “That doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt this time.”

“Sirius, stop worrying about it and read the book. We’re less than a page into the chapter!”

“Right, sorry Moony!”

**...was very funny.**

“Okay, first off he’s not, and second off, why is that funny?” James asked, looking thoroughly perplexed.

“Don’t look at me, I haven’t the foggiest,” Sirius replied before turning back to the book, looking like a dork. Which he is, truly, no matter how hard he tries to hide it.

**...what he’d said.**

“I think that might be a while,” the four Marauders chorused. Lily, on the other hand, hit her head on the back of the sofa she was sitting on.

**...for several years.**

“Why on Earth would you keep chocolate that long and not just eat it?” Remus asked, perplexed by the fact that anyone would manage to keep chocolate longer than a week without eating it.

**...for later life.**

“I’m… not even going to ask how that works…” James just looked so lost as he ran his hand through his hair nervously.

**...seriously doubted this…**

“I agree,” Lily snapped. “There is no way that it will look anything like ‘everyone else's’” she said, making air quotes where appropriate. “It will just make you look cheap and bring down your reputation, honestly!”

“That’s malicious,” Peter spoke up. “She’s making an effort to make Harry look bad! Why would she do that when she could just buy a uniform so much easier?”

Lily didn’t answer, because she thought that if she did, she would begin to cry. James scooted closer to her and answered Peter, “I don’t know, Pete. I just don’t know.”

**...Smeltings stick, Dudley.”**

Lily had a tear trickling out of her eye, and James scooted closer yet again. Remus looked sad, but Sirius just huffed. “Typical,” he said. “Just typical.”

**_...letter for Harry._ **

“Hogwarts to the rescue!” Sirius cheered, throwing his fist in the air and sticking his tongue out, looking so silly Remus couldn’t help but laugh a bit. Sirius heard and turned toward Remus, which in turn caused Remus to turn away and blush. How cute is that?

Ooo… I think Lily saw Remus blush. I should remember this, it will most likely be important later. Maybe.

**_...under the stairs_ **

“SOMEONE _KNEW_?!” Lily stood up and yelled. “No,” Lily was seething mad now, “Not SOMEONE, MCGONAGALL!”

“Evans, Dumbledore could have _obliviate_ d her, or they could have started using automatic quills…” Peter offered. 

That seemed to calm her down enough to sit down. “That better be correct, Pettigrew, or I’m going to kill our head of house.”

**...Harry’s got something!”**

“Oh, leave him alone, you little brat!” Lily snapped at the book, fuming. I get the feeling Lily is going to be angry throughout the entirety of the seven books. I honestly can’t blame her.

**...of old porridge.**

“What in Merlin’s name is so awful about a Hogwarts letter that it made this muggle go grey?” Sirius asked, staring at the book in his hands like he couldn’t believe what he was reading.

Lily huffed. “Isn’t it obvious, Black? It’s a Hogwarts letter. Magic,” she sounded scathing, “is worse than death to those people.” She spat the last part out like it was poisonous to even think it.

**...door behind them.**

“Well,” Lily huffed. “The nerve of that boy!”

“You mean Dudley?” James asked.

“No, I mean Harry. OF COURSE I MEAN DUDLEY!” Lily yelled. “It’s _not_ his letter, he has no right to read it!” She noticed that James was attempting to move closer to her on the roundabout sofa they were all sharing, (like one of those big booths at a restaurant, but without a table in the middle, and about twice as big) and, irritated by this, moved across to sit between Remus and Sirius, to both parties disappointment, not that either said anything about it.

**...that dangerous nonsense?”**

“Oh Merlin!” James yelped in shock, as the other three stared at the book, mouths agape.

“What’s that mean? Stamping out magic?” Lily sounded worried, afraid of the answer.

“It’s very dangerous,” James said, “If a magical child goes through a traumatic enough experience, they can permanently lose control of their magic, and it will lash out at the slightest inclination of harm. If the Dursleys had stamped out Harry’s magic, they would have died.”

Lily looked horrified. “Black…” she said slowly, “Keep reading.”

Sirius shook his head to clear it, then continued reading.

**...Dudley’s second bedroom.”**

“What,” Lily sounded very angry. “Excuse me,” she said, standing up and walking into a room off the main one before screaming, a long, disjointed, painful sound, so loud it reverberated throughout the castle, causing the professors trying to figure out where the two new prefects had gone to hope that wasn’t Lily, because it sounded like someone was being murdered.

I realized that could not be good for her throat, so I slipped out a moment to grab her some water. When I got back, she was sitting back down. I momentarily took on my more humanoid form, handed her the water, and then became an invisible ball of light again.

Just before Sirius began to read again, I heard her croak a, “Thank you,” before she began to drink.

**...had four bedrooms:**

Lily looked like she was going scream again, however, because she had hurt her throat, she only managed to make a wheezing sort of noise, like the air being let out of a beach ball.

Granted, everyone else looked murderous, but they seemed to all be holding it in, like it would explode out if they didn’t, into violent, painful screams like Lily’s. I think they should have just screamed. They might hurt themselves this way.

**...his first bedroom.**

“Shouldn’t you just toss those things out? Or donate them? Not just let them pile up?” asked Peter Pettigrew. He’s a very quiet boy, but when he talks, the others listen.

“That is a good point, Peter,” Remus replies, nodding. “Why do they spoil their child so? He’s going to have real mental health issues later in life, as well as physical ones, if his size is any indicator, and that’s only if he doesn’t already!”

Sirius nodded sadly, like he had just heard an announcement that Dudley was dead instead of spoiled out of his mind.

**...here was broken.**

“All the more reason to just throw it out!” Peter squeaked.

**_...need_ that room…**

Lily rolled her eyes and took another sip of water.

“I don’t think anyone needs _two_ bedrooms…” James said. “Generally most people only have one and sometimes people share said room with others who won’t shut up and are generally very loud while you are trying to sleep!” James ended his exclamation with a pointed look at Sirius, who blushed bright red and turned back to the book.

**...neck from behind…**

“Strangle him, Harry!” James yelled and jumped up from his seat.

Lily glared at him.

James sat down.

**...in his hand.**

“Bugger,” James muttered as he slouched down in his seat, grumbling lots of horrid things about Vernon Dursley, all of which are probably true but don’t need to be repeated.

Sirius and Remus also looked disappointed, Peter looked like he was thinking about something, and Lily looked like she was halfway done with her water already, which is a bit shocking, as I brought her a whole liter. That’s around a quarter of a gallon for you americans.

**\- something _alive_!**

Remus began giggling as he figured out what Harry had to have stepped on, causing Sirius to pause in his reading and lean around Lily to watch Remus. His head was cocked and he had this expression on his face, somewhere between bewilderment and delight. Bewilderment because he didn’t know why Remus was laughing, delight because Remus was laughing.

Lily, being female and less stupid than the boys, (although, really, all humans are stupid, no offence, but you really are) Lily recognized the look for what it was and managed to put two and two together and determine that Sirius fancies Remus. I get the feeling that the breaks from here on out will be filled with matchmaking. She still won’t move, however, because she feels like sitting next to James would be a disaster, and didn’t want to sit next to Pettigrew, either. She resolved to sit on the other side of Sirius, the edge of the couch, as soon as the opportunity arose.

**...his uncle’s face.**

Remus only laughed harder, and Sirius, still watching Remus, mind you, began to giggle. I mean, he claims he wasn’t giggling, but he was, there isn’t any way to deny it.

Lily was smiling, but didn’t laugh as her throat still hurt from screaming earlier. 

James was laughing, and so was Peter. Everyone was so happy at that man’s pain, and he deserved it. But still… I was certain that the happiness of this room wasn’t going to last. I knew that I had to make it last as long as I could, but even with my help, it would fade unless there were massive timeline changes at some point, or these happy times would be gone- for good.

After everyone had calmed down, Sirius began to read again.

**...before his eyes.**

“How rude! I’m glad his face got stomped on,” hufed Sirius as he interrupted himself, causing Remus to laugh softly yet again. I’m fairly certain that Sirius was just doing whatever he can to make Remus laugh, just so he could watch Moony laugh. It seemed to be working.

James, on the other hand, just looked infuriated that Sirius was making so light of Vernon Dursley’s appalling behavior toward his son, because he couldn’t see the obvious right in front of his face. Well, that and Dursley’s behavior is truly grotesque. I’ve seen less disgusting pictures of trolls, if you can believe it.

**...of fruit cake…**

“I think we’re all quite glad we don’t think like you,” James commented. “Knocking in nails with _fruitcake?_ Really?”

“That is what it says,” Sirius nods, looking down at the book again. “But just in case I’m hallucinating- Moony, check it for me!” Sirius passed the book over Lily to Remus, who laughed and replied:

“Yes, it does say fruitcake, right here,” he pointed to the upper part of the left side of the page the book was open to, where the sentence in question was. Then he handed the book back to Sirius, with a, “Here’s the book back, Padfoot.”

Sirius thanked Remus and went back to reading, grinning.

**...at small noises.**

“That’s… kinda creepy,” Peter piped up.

“I agree with you on that one, Pete,” Sirius nodded before simply going back to reading.

**...out of hand.**

“Wait… _began?_ ” James asked incredulously. “Things weren’t out of hand before?”

“Apparently not,” Remus smiled.

“Muggles are stupid,” James replied, as though that explained the Dursleys. It does not, but people can be like that…

**...on his newspapers…**

Sirius stopped reading and made this face, like… oh, shoot, I don’t have a good analogy for it! I’m sure I’ll think of one later… Anyway, he pulled his face from the book and pulled his lips down… Oh! I’ve got it! Apart from his eyebrows, which went up in the middle instead of down, he was making the face Sherlock makes at his father in _Elementary_!

Frankly the others weren’t much better. They were either laughing at the idea of spreading Marmalade on newspapers (James), laughing at Sirius’s face (Remus and Lily), or just generally being confuzzled by it all (Peter).

To put it simply, it was a perfect moment.

**No arguments!”**

“Are they… Trying to outrun the letters?” Peter asked.

“It would appear so, yes,” Remus replied, nodding.

“That’s not going to work, is it?”

“Probably not.”

**...in his life.**

James’s face darkened considerably. “He deserves it,” he growled, “He deserves that and so much worse.”

It must have been a testament to how bad the Dursleys were that no-one argued with him, or even glared at him, since Lily was still resting her throat.

**...the front desk.”**

“That is a lot of letters,” Peter said, cocking his head to the side. “Just… a lot.”

Lily nodded her agreement and the reading continued.

**...the dining-room.**

“For someone who wants so desperately to be seen as normal, Dursley sure makes a lot of scenes,” Remus remarked.

“You sound like you’re talking from experiance,” James commented in reply.

Remus raised his eyebrow. “You’ve met Phoebe, haven’t you?”

“Point taken.”

**...a suspension bridge…**

Lily snorted and gave a raspy “What?”

Sirius and Remus looked equally confused by the idea of stopping half across a bridge, but were distracted by James and Peter simultaneously saying, “What’s a suspension bridge? Is it anything like a regular bridge?”

Lily rolled her eyes and made a gesture for Sirius to continue reading.

**...Harry’s eleventh birthday.**

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” All four Marauders yelled while Lily rolled her eyes yet again.

**...you could imagine.**

“That is no place to spend your birthday!” Remus yelped. “Poor Harry.”

The other boys bowed their heads like they were grieving, although exactly what for I wasn’t sure.

**...damp and empty.**

“I hate this place,” Sirius declared.

“It should be demolished!” James agreed.

“Torn down into little splinters,” Remus nodded along.

“Then set it on fire!” Peter piped up.

Lily snorted into her drink.

**...and four bananas.**

“That’s not enough food!” Remus yelped again. He knew that even the others couldn’t get enough nutrition out of that little food, and he needed more food as the advanced senses, strength, and speed, as well as the transformation itself, that came with being a werewolf meant that he had to eat almost twice as much as they did to feel full.

**...most ragged blanket.**

Everyone looked angry, but no-one commented.

**BOOM.**

“What?” Lily rasped, looked scared out of her wits.

The boys didn’t look much better, as Remus had gone chalk-white, Sirius was gaping like a goldfish, James had fallen off the couch in shock, and Peter was hyperventilating.

Sirius shook his head to clear it, and then rushed through the last sentence of the chapter.

**...to come in.**

“At least it’s a someone, and not a something,” James said, looking not all that relieved himself. “Give me the book, Padfoot, let me read now.”

Sirius nodded, and pass James the book so that the next chapter could be quickly read.

**Chapter four: The Keeper of the Keys**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! So sorry this took forever. Hey, on the bright side, it's the longest chapter yet! Yay! Ummm... Yeah... See you next time!


	5. Sad but Sensical

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hagrid is both a welcome and... well, not so welcome.

“Hagrid? That’s it? We were worked up over Hagrid?” Sirius burst out, throwing his hands up in the air like he was on a thrill ride.

James began laughing out of relief. “Hagrid’s there. Hagrid’s there. Not gonna have to put up with the Dursleys for much longer!” he laughed, clearly feeling much better now, an emotion reflected onto everyone else’s faces as well - even mine, and I know this story!

**...he said stupidly.**

“Is anything he says not stupid?” Peter asked.

“I don’t think so,” Remus replied. “Maybe he was just extra stupid this time.”

“Alright, I suppose that makes sense…” Peter looked confused now.

**...holding a rifle…**

“What?!” Lily half-rasped, half screamed. “A rifle? Around children?”

Remus looked a bit green, but the other three, even Sirius, looked confused.

“What’s a rifle?” James asked, concerned since it made both Lily and Remus look ill.

“It’s like the Killing Curse,” Remus said, almost in a daze. “Except it’s painful, and if grazes you or hits you in the wrong spot, while it won’t kill you, it’s still painful. Muggles fight with them when they go to war.”

The other three now also looked green, and Sirius burst out, “We didn’t learn anything about Muggle weaponry in Muggle Studies!”

“Of course not,” Remus said. “It’s like the Werewolf Books issue again. They want you to see Muggles as harmless, when really, they are just as powerful as you are, just in a different way.”

The other boys nodded, but Lily was confused by the “Werewolf Books issue.” She decided it wasn’t important right now, but she would look into it later.

**...cup o’ tea…**

“Really? That’s the first thing he asks?” Remus questioned, laughing a little bit.

Sirius took the opportunity to blatantly stare at Remus laughing, as Lily desperately tried to figure out how neither of them nor the other two boys had discovered that Sirius and Remus were head over heals for each-other.

To be completely honest here, I’m not entirely certain either. It is kinda totally completely the most obvious thing about them…

**...yer mum’s eyes.”**

“Aww,” Lily rasped and cooed at the same time, “That’s so sweet of him to tell Harry that…”

“Yeah,” James replied, “But Harry has no idea who Hagrid even is, he should have introduced himself first!”

“This does make him sound a bit creepy…” Peter put in, and Remus nodded.

**...being trodden on.**

“Ha! Finally, someone put him in his place!” Sirius yelled triumphantly. “Good for you, Hagrid!”

Lily smiled finished off the last bit of her water, and when she wished she had a place to put the glass down, a coffee table suddenly appeared in the middle on the couch. Lily smiled and placed the glass down.

**...in green icing.**

Lily cooed again, this huge grin on her face like the sun had come out for the first time in years. It was a beautiful moment to picture.

James gave a half-hearted grumble, “He still hasn’t introduced himself…”

**”Who are you?”**

“Exactly! Good job Harry!” James beamed as Lily rolled her eyes. “You shouldn’t take cake from strangers, who knows what it will do to you?” James continued. “Actually, don’t take cake from the people you know, either…”

“Speaking from experience, Potter?” Lily snickered.

“Yes, actually.”

“Oh, do tell.”

“Thirteenth birthday. Sirius. Long Story.”

Lily huffed in annoyance.

**...ter summat stronger…**

“Ehh?” Lily made this strange noise like a inhaling storm siren, “Drinking? Around my child? Like hell you will!”

James chuckled, and then immediately regretted it when Lily penned him with a death glare.

**...fattenin’ any more…**

“Too true, from the sound of it,” Sirius shook his head mockingly.

Peter looked slightly hurt, but the others didn’t notice.

**Hagrid looked shocked.**

“Why is he shocked? Shouldn’t he have been told Harry was living with horrid muggles who would rather burn him at the stake than tell him anything? For that matter, why was Hagrid sent? Shouldn’t someone who’s an actual Professor be doing this?” James gave a mini-rant under his breath.

Of course, Remus heard because Remus has super-hearing and therefore Remus chuckled. That was almost a tongue-twister. I wonder if I could say it five times fast… Eep! I’m getting off track! Back to the story!

**\- about ANYTHING?”**

“Hagrid!” Lily snapped, “I’m glad you brought Harry cake and his letter, but you cannot imply that he is stupid!” Lily’s cheeks puffed out as she glared at the book in James’ hands.

James grinned, glad Lily had her voice back, and turned back to the book.

**...dad weren’t famous…**

“I love how he asks about you two first and not himself,” Sirius smiled.

“I don’t,” Lily replied. “I don’t think that’s normal, is it?”

“It’s normal in humble young boys,” Remus said to Lily, “However, the majority of boys I’ve met are not humble.”

This seemed to pacify Lily for the moment.

**...boil yer heads…**

Lily was giggling, chortling, practically snorting, because she was so happy someone had finally told off the Dursleys. The boys were in agreement.

“You go, Hagrid!”

“Take him away, don’t bring him back!”

“Yay!”

Remus was clapping, funnily enough.

**...await my owl?”**

“Really? Of all the questions he could ask, he asks about the owl?” Sirius was grinning even as he said it. “Prongs, Evans, your kid has some really strange priorities.”

Remus shook his head, seemingly exasperated, but I’m not certain if he was exasperated by Sirius or by Harry.

James and Lily, on the other hand, were clearly sending their disapproving looks in Sirius’ direction.

**...read upside down:**

“How?” Remus blurted out, looking utterly confused. “Hagrid has simply horrid handwriting! How he can read it at all, much less upside down, is a mystery to me!”

“I agree,” Peter nodded, “It’s even worse than James’ handwriting when he’s in a rush, which looks so bad McGonagall once gave him a zero on his essay because she couldn’t read it!”

James flushed bright red and glared at Peter, which Peter ignored, because that’s what Marauders do. Lily, on the other hand, was busy stifling her giggles with her hand.

**...the biggest Muggles…**

“Excuse me?” Lily snapped. “While I agree that there is something fundamentally wrong with the Dursleys, the way that sentence is phrased makes it sound like being raised by Muggles is inferior! That Muggleborns like myself just had ‘bad luck’ to be born to Muggles!”

The boys nodded in agreement. The phrasing was really bad, and no-one wanted to talk about it anymore, because they could practically sense that they were getting closer to Hogwarts.

**...out of him!”**

“Oh, _MERLIN,_ NO!” James screamed, almost before he had finished the sentence. “NO! NO! NO!”

Sirius was deathly pale and curling in on himself, into a little ball, while Remus shook violently and Peter whimpered.

“What does that mean?” Lily asked. “What makes it worse than it already was?”

James looked at Lily, but he did not answer her question, only stared at her with this look of utter disbelief and terror.

“It means that they would have hurt Harry so bad that he would no longer have control over his magic,” a voice came, surprisingly, from the Sirius-ball. “He would have been placed in a special ward at St. Mungo’s and never come out again. His magic would lash out out at everything, and perceive anything as a threat. He would have gone insane.”

“Oh…” Lily looked horrified that she had even asked.

**\- a freak!**

Lily looked like she was about to cry. “Is that really how you think of me, Tuney?” She barely breathed the question. She pulled her legs up to her chest, attempting to hide from the world.

The boys gave her a moment before James began to read again.

**...knows his name!”**

“Oh, dear,” Lily sighed and shook her head. He’s never going to get a moment’s rest, is he?”

“I doubt it,” James agreed.

“I think we’re forgetting the big problem here!” Sirius snapped. “You two are dead! That’s not ok! We have to fix that, no matter what!”

“Exactly!” Peter piped up. “Marauders stick together.”

The room shifted almost imperceptibly. I heaved a great sigh as I looked down at this Peter Pettigrew. When and how had this loyal Marauder turned into a traitor and a Death Eater? It didn’t make sense. Doesn’t make sense. Whatever.

**...our world knows-”**

“Well, he didn’t grow up in this world, did he?” Lily snapped.

“Damn Voldemort got out of hand,” Sirius muttered. “Right now he’s only a minor threat, there’s no all out war yet.”

“Yet being the key word there, Padfoot,” Remus sighed.

“I don’t think Hagrid will say the name,” James said, looking up from the book. “You know how superstitious he is.”

“That’s true, but I think he might since Harry doesn’t know,” Remus replied.

“I wouldn’t count on it, Moony.”

**All right - _Voldemort._**

“Told you, James,” Remus commented smugly.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re a smart puppy, Remus,” James rolled his eyes.

“Hey! I’m not the puppy, Sirius is the puppy!” Remus glared at James.

“You’re both puppies,” James replied. “Now be quiet so I can keep reading.”

**Head boy an’ girl…**

“What?!” all five voices collided into one for a single word.

“Who in their right mind would make me Head Boy?” James asked incredulously.

“Exactly!” Lily threw her hands up toward the ceiling.

“That would be literally the stupidest decision of their career,” Sirius shook his head.

“So not only is Dumbledore manipulative and morally in wrong most of the time, he’s also legitimately insane?” Remus asked.

“It looks that way,” Peter squeaked.

**...no one except you…**

“That’s a horrible reason to be famous!” Lily shrieked. “Famous because we died and he didn’t? Famous because he’s an orphan? People are right _monsters!_ ” Her hands flew to either side of her head and clasped handfuls of hair as she yelled.

The boys all nodded along, although Remus secretly found Lily’s choice of words amusing. If people, regular, basic humans, were monsters, then what was he, the werewolf, in her mind?

**...cold, cruel, laugh.**

“Oh, dear goddess above!” Lily gasped. “He can remember that? My poor baby…”

James allowed himself a small smile behind the book, maybe by the time all seven books were over, he and Lily would be dating.

**...a good beating…**

“Oh, just shut up, Dursley!” surprisingly, it was Peter who yelled. “I’m so tired of hearing about your abuse and - and terrorism of a small child! I’m sick of it, sick of it! So just stop!”

“What on earth, Pettigrew?” Lily turned toward Peter, utterly stunned.

Peter immediately shrank back into the couch. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, Pete! That was brilliant!” Sirius was grinning. “I knew you had it in you!”

Peter smiled.

**...warning you, Dursley -**

“Don’t warn him, just stab him!” Sirius yelled.

Remus laughed at Sirius’ antics.

**...lost his powers.**

“Harry’s going to have to face Voldemort, isn’t he?” Remus asked with a sigh.

“Most likely,” Lily huffed sadly.

The other three looked like - well, a mixture of sorrow and anger was visible on their faces, let’s put it that way.

**...in his cupboard?**

“Because that’s not how it works, at least in theory. I mean, by the time he was old enough to harness enough power to do that, he was probably already used to being locked in the cupboard, so his magic didn’t perceive it as a threat in the same way,” Sirius rambled off.

“That makes sense,” Lily said, almost to herself. “It’s incredibly sad, but it makes sense.”

“Lots of things are sad but make a lot of sense,” Remus said in a voice that seemed a bit heartbroken. Sirius looked very upset with Lily for being in the way of him comforting Remus, so he waved at Peter to do it for him.

Peter scooted over to Remus and gave him a hug.

Lily decided she wasn’t going to ask.

**...he’s not going?”**

“Oh, go cry me a river,” Lily snapped. “You, Vernon Dursley, are a bastard. A bitch. Whatever other demeaning word you can think of. You are the freak in this house, and I am frankly ashamed that we could ever appear on the same family tree.”

James gave a single, quick, decisive nod before turning back to the book.

**...CRACKPOT OLD FOOL…**

“You know it’s bad when Dursley is talking sense,” Sirius chuckled.

“Padfoot!” Remus half-heartedly admonished, laughing at the same time. “Wormtail, you can let go of me now, I’m fine, I promise!”

“Er, right, sorry, Moony!” Peter squeaked and shuffled away.

“It’s fine, Peter, I just wanted you to know that I am also fine now,” Remus smiled at Peter.

**...in his trousers.**

“While Dudley totally deserved that, I wish the catalyst was something other than his father insulting Dumbledore…” Peter sighed.

“I agree with you there, Pete,” Sirius lamented.

Remus, James, and Lily all nodded in agreement.

**...left to do.”**

James was laughing even before he finished reading the sentence. “That’s fantastic! You go, Hagrid!”

The others were laughing too, and to be honest, I felt a bit left out. N-not that that matters, of course! My job is to observe them read the books and keep them safe until the books are finished, and make sure they set out to change things! After that, I’ll probably dissipate. Vanish. Dissolve. I won’t have a purpose anymore, my spell will be over, and after all, I’m just a construct. Oh, sorry. Don’t listen to my ramblings, dollfaces. James is reading again, hush!

**”Why were you expelled?”**

“Oh, no-one knows that,” Remus said, immediately after the question was asked. “We’ve tried getting him to tell us, multiple times. All we ever got out of him was the name Aragog.”

“What kind of name is Aragog?” Lily asked incredulously.

“Who knows?” Remus shrugged. “But that’s all we ever got, and we tried four different times.”

**...o’ the pockets.”**

“And that is the end of that chapter!” James grinned as he slammed the book shut. “Should Peter go next, or should Lily?”

“Pettigrew should go next, but there’s something I think we should do first,” Lily said, standing up. Oh, boy. Why do I get the feeling that -

“Blue-haired construct girl! Come out! I do believe that we should talk!” She was yelling for me. Yelling for me! Oh, dear.

I didn’t want to, but I returned to my base humanoid form and regained visibility. I took a deep breath and - “I thought I told you my name was Bitsy, but I suppose it doesn’t matter right now. What did you want to talk about, Lily?”


End file.
